Your Complete Guide to Adult Acne
Do you suffer from acne or acne-prone skin? Then you are not alone. Acne affects around 95% of people in the UK at some point in their life, and although synonymous with the teenage years, acne can still make an appearance in adults. Whether the symptoms are mild or severe, they can have a debilitating impact on self-esteem, so finding the best routine to treat the condition is crucial to getting you and your skin feeling its best.
The endless solutions and products designed for acne can be overwhelming. Hopefully, this quick guide will help you understand acne and how the correct skincare be one of the factors that can help treat your acne.
Causes and Prevention
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition caused by excess sebum and dead skin cells clogging the pores. As build-up occurs, bacteria become trapped and start to multiply, leading to whiteheads, blackheads, papules (small, red, tender bumps), pustules (similar to papules but with a pus-filled head) and in more severe cases, nodules (large, hard lumps beneath the skin).
Hormones, stress, lifestyle and over-zealous skincare routines can all cause acne. Hormones control skin oil production, whilst stress stimulates the oil glands, causing imbalances resulting in excess sebum production and potential acne flares.
What should you do if a breakout surfaces? When it comes to treating acne, consistency and routine are key. A pared-down skincare routine is the best way to soothe and care for your skin. See our recommendations below.
Cleanse
When acne flares, cleansing correctley is a priority in your routine. Wash your face twice daily to remove makeup, dirt and excess sebum that accumulate throughout the day. Avoid abrasive formulas with physical exfoliants and opt for cleansers like Environ’s Sebu-Wash Gel Cleanser. Packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients such as; tea tree, salicylic acid and Sarcosine, Environ’s Sebu-Wash Gel Cleanser gently cleanses the skin without aggravating blemishes and stripping moisture. If the skin is sensitized and inflamed then the Hydra Intense Cleansing Lotion can be a good option to calm and soothe.
Tone
Adding a toner to your routine can help to remove dead skin cells that cause blocked pores. The Sebu-Tone Clarifier utilises AHA exfoliants (Lactic Acid and Salicyclic Acid) to gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells and excess cleanser from your previous step. The sebum-regulating ingredients minimise oiliness and shine whilst delivering a sterilisation effect on the skin to reduce bacteria and calm inflammation. This is a good option if there is a lot of congestion
Moisturise
If you avoid adding excess moisture so as not to aggravate your skin, you may want to re-think. Moisturising is a vital step in your routine to ensure that your skin barrier is working optimally to protect your skin from external aggressors. Moisturised skin can prevent scarring from severe acne, so it is not a step to miss.
Look out for non-comedogenic formulations that are likely to be less rich and clog your pores. Environ’s Sebu-Ace Oil is a vitamin-enriched oil that helps to minimise the appearance of blemishes. Packed with Vitamin A, C and E, this moisturising oil normalises oil production and cell renewal by delivering comfort and soothing your skin.
The final step to your daytime routine should always be SPF to protect your skin from the sun to prevent increased pigmentation of acne scars.
Results
Here is a before and after of a client who followed our advice and routine and what they had to say…
Our Skin Expert Katherine Taylor is on-hand to advise what treatments or products are best for your individual skin needs. Book a consultation today to start your journey to healthy, clear skin.
